Pathoma Respiratory Exam Study Guide
Latest Updated 2024/2025
What is rhinitis? - ansInflammation of the nasal mucosa
Adenovirus = most common cause
Presents with sneezing, congestion, and runny nose
(common cold)
What is allergic rhinitis? - ansDue to type 1
hypersensitivity (ex = due to pollen)
Characterized by inflammatory infiltrate with eosinophils
Associated with asthma and eczema
What is a nasal polyp? - ansProtrusion of edematous,
inflamed nasal mucosa
Usually secondary to repeated bouts of rhinitis
Also occurs in cystic fibrosis and ASA-intolerant asthma
(aspirin intolerant asthma)*** (HIGH YIELD)
What is angiofibroma? - ansBenign tumor of nasal
mucosa composed of large blood vessels and fibrous
tissue
Only seen in adolescent males***
Presents with profuse epistaxis
What is nasopharyngeal carcinoma? - ansMalignant tumor
of nasopharyngeal epithelium
Associated with EBV; classically seen in African children
and Chinese adults**
Enlarged cervical lymph nodes usually seen
Biopsy = pleomorphic keratin-pos epithelial cells in
background of lymphocytes
,Pathoma Respiratory Exam Study Guide
Latest Updated 2024/2025
What is acute epiglottitis? - ansInflammation of epiglottis
Most common cause in both immunized and non-
immunized children = H. influenza type b
High fever, sore throat, drooling with dysphagia, muffled
voice, and inspiratory stridor
Risk of acute airway obstruction** = medical emergency
What is laryngotracheobronchitis (croup)? -
ansInflammation of the upper airway
Most common cause = parainfluenza virus
Present with hoarse "barking" cough and inspiratory
stridor
What is vocal cord nodule (Singer's nodule)? - ansNodule
that arise on vocal
Due to excessive use, usually bilateral (wear and tear)
Composed of degenerative (myxoid) connective tissue
Presents with hoarseness; resolves with rest
What is laryngeal papilloma? - ansBenign papillary tumor
of vocal cord
Due to HPV 6 and 11***
Single in adults and multiple in children
Presents with hoarseness
What is laryngeal carcinoma? - ansSquamous cell
carcinoma arising from epithelial lining of vocal cord
Risk factors = alcohol and tobacco
, Pathoma Respiratory Exam Study Guide
Latest Updated 2024/2025
Presents with hoarseness; other signs include cough and
stridor
Rarely arises from laryngeal papilloma
What is pneumonia? - ansInfection of the lung
parenchyma
Occurs when normal defenses are impaired (ex = cough
reflex, damage to mucociliary elevator (cilia on resp
epithelium) due to virus, mucus plugging)
Present with: fever and chills, cough with yellow-green
(pus) or rusty sputum (blood), tachypnea with pleuritic
chest pain (d/t bradykinin and prostaglandin E2),
decreased breath sounds with dullness to percussion,
elevated WBC count
How is pneumonia diagnosed? - ans-CXR
-sputum gram stain and culture
-blood culture
-3 patterns seen on CXR:
-lobar pneumonia = pneumonia in one lobe
-bronchopneumonia = patchy along small airways
-interstitial pneumonia = inflammation in interstitium
(CT of alveolar air sac) = inc in lung markings
-lobar + broncho = bacterial
-interstitial = usually not bacterial; viral
Latest Updated 2024/2025
What is rhinitis? - ansInflammation of the nasal mucosa
Adenovirus = most common cause
Presents with sneezing, congestion, and runny nose
(common cold)
What is allergic rhinitis? - ansDue to type 1
hypersensitivity (ex = due to pollen)
Characterized by inflammatory infiltrate with eosinophils
Associated with asthma and eczema
What is a nasal polyp? - ansProtrusion of edematous,
inflamed nasal mucosa
Usually secondary to repeated bouts of rhinitis
Also occurs in cystic fibrosis and ASA-intolerant asthma
(aspirin intolerant asthma)*** (HIGH YIELD)
What is angiofibroma? - ansBenign tumor of nasal
mucosa composed of large blood vessels and fibrous
tissue
Only seen in adolescent males***
Presents with profuse epistaxis
What is nasopharyngeal carcinoma? - ansMalignant tumor
of nasopharyngeal epithelium
Associated with EBV; classically seen in African children
and Chinese adults**
Enlarged cervical lymph nodes usually seen
Biopsy = pleomorphic keratin-pos epithelial cells in
background of lymphocytes
,Pathoma Respiratory Exam Study Guide
Latest Updated 2024/2025
What is acute epiglottitis? - ansInflammation of epiglottis
Most common cause in both immunized and non-
immunized children = H. influenza type b
High fever, sore throat, drooling with dysphagia, muffled
voice, and inspiratory stridor
Risk of acute airway obstruction** = medical emergency
What is laryngotracheobronchitis (croup)? -
ansInflammation of the upper airway
Most common cause = parainfluenza virus
Present with hoarse "barking" cough and inspiratory
stridor
What is vocal cord nodule (Singer's nodule)? - ansNodule
that arise on vocal
Due to excessive use, usually bilateral (wear and tear)
Composed of degenerative (myxoid) connective tissue
Presents with hoarseness; resolves with rest
What is laryngeal papilloma? - ansBenign papillary tumor
of vocal cord
Due to HPV 6 and 11***
Single in adults and multiple in children
Presents with hoarseness
What is laryngeal carcinoma? - ansSquamous cell
carcinoma arising from epithelial lining of vocal cord
Risk factors = alcohol and tobacco
, Pathoma Respiratory Exam Study Guide
Latest Updated 2024/2025
Presents with hoarseness; other signs include cough and
stridor
Rarely arises from laryngeal papilloma
What is pneumonia? - ansInfection of the lung
parenchyma
Occurs when normal defenses are impaired (ex = cough
reflex, damage to mucociliary elevator (cilia on resp
epithelium) due to virus, mucus plugging)
Present with: fever and chills, cough with yellow-green
(pus) or rusty sputum (blood), tachypnea with pleuritic
chest pain (d/t bradykinin and prostaglandin E2),
decreased breath sounds with dullness to percussion,
elevated WBC count
How is pneumonia diagnosed? - ans-CXR
-sputum gram stain and culture
-blood culture
-3 patterns seen on CXR:
-lobar pneumonia = pneumonia in one lobe
-bronchopneumonia = patchy along small airways
-interstitial pneumonia = inflammation in interstitium
(CT of alveolar air sac) = inc in lung markings
-lobar + broncho = bacterial
-interstitial = usually not bacterial; viral
